Sign.



G. W. SMITH.

SIGN.

.APYLIUATION FILED MAR. 18, 1911.

Patented June 25, 1912.

U@ W Y I 31- 3 k, I 3

SATS

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES W. SMITH, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THOMAS CUSACK COMPANY,

OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SIGN.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES IV. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, and residing at Cincinnati, Hamilton county, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signs; and I do declare "the following to be a clear, full, and exact description of the invention, attention being called to the drawing which accompanies this application and forms a part thereof.

This invention relates to signs adapted to serve day and night, illumination by artificial light being resorted to, to render the sign visible at night.

Two vertically arranged sign-faces are provided in certain positional relation with reference to each other and the leading feature of the invention consists of an arrangement whereby both of them are rendered visible by one source of light located in a certain manner with reference to the two sign faces.

Other features of the invention relate to the particular construction of certain parts all as hereinafter described and claimed and as illustrated in the drawing, in which Figure 1, shows the sign in perspective view. Fig. 2, is a vertical cross-section of the same. Fig. 3, is a side-elevation with parts broken away. Fig. 4:, shows the rearside of one of the sign-faces detached.

Two vertically arranged, elongated signfaces are provided on eachside of the signstructure which makes up the body of the sign, there being an upper sign face A and a lower sign face B on each side. As to material, sheet-metal is preferably used for the lower sign-faces on each side, said faces forming also two of the opposite sides b-b of the body which constitutes the sign-structure. The lower edges of these sides come quite close together and upwardly they diverge, being also concavely curved as best shown in Fig. 2. A proper sign-surface is provided on the outer side of these sides b-b by means of aint to" form a suitable background to receive the lettering. These sides Z)Z) are held in proper relation by the ends 77 of the structure and their lower edges are connected to a rail 8 which also closes the structure below. The outer side of these ends 7 may be weather-proofed by means of paint or sheet-metal sheathing. The structure is covered and closed above by a roof 9, preferably of sheet-metal. It

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 18, 1911.

Patented June 25, 1912. Serial No. 615,246.

- is suspended by means of hooks 10, forming the upper ends of rods 11, which rods extend vertically throughthe structure and are seated in rail 8.

The upper edges of the upper sign-faces A are about even with the upper edges of sides I), and these sign-faces are vertically arranged so as to overhang the upper part of the sign-faces B on these sides. A space results from this overhang between the rear of the upper sign-faces and the lower signfaces of even length with these faces and open downwardly, which space serves to receive the illuminating means whereby both sign-faces are rendered visible at night. These means are by preference electric lights of the incandescent type, a number of them being provided behind sign-faces A and seated on the outer side of sides 6 as shown at 12. In order to render the action of these lights effective with reference to the lower sign-face B, the inner side of signface A is made to form a reflector a as shown in Fig. 4 which throws the light back upon these lower sign-faces. The concaved curvature of these sign-faces favors the reception of the light thus thrown upon them. In order to render the upper sign-faces visible at night each is made of a panel. of translucent material, the sign proper being produced by means of paint whereby a part of the panel is rendered opaque. This may be done by forming the letters of the sign by means of such paint, or by covering the surface between them with it. In order to obtain the reflecting surface a, milk-white glass is used for the panel which thus combines the requirements of translucency for the sign-face and of reflecting qualities by reason of its color. These glass-panels are each set in a frame 13 whereby they are secured to the sign-body. Parts of ends 7 of the body are edgewise extended as shown at 14 to meet the ends of these frames so as to close the ends of the space between the two sign-faces. These extended parts in combination with the panel form a downwardly open hood on each side which prevents the disturbing efiect of lateral escape of light and renders the illumination of bothsign-faces strikingly effectful especially so, since the source of the light is hidden.

This sign is intended to be supported so as to be disposed at an angle with reference to the wall of an adjacent building so that Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Washington, D. G.

four sign-faces are displayed, two on each side. It may also be readily arranged to hang flat and parallel against the side of a building, in which case the two sign-faces on one side are dispensed with and replaced by a straight side which forms the rear-side of the structure. 7

Having described my invention, I claim as new:

1. In a sign-structure, the combination of a hood, having front and rear sides which meet at their respective upper edges and from whence they diverge downwardly, the rear side being extended below the frontside to form a sign-face, the front side ineluding a translucent plate, the outer surface of which serves as a sign-face while its inner surface serves as a reflector, and illuminating means supported within the hood and on the rear-side thereof whereby the sign on the front-side of the hood and the sign on the lower art of its rear-side are both rendered visib e.

2. A sign-structure which consists of two opposite sides curved outwardly from their lower edges and forming sign-faces on their outer sides, end-pieces between the upright edges of these sides which close the space between them and are edgewise extended beyond'them at their upper portions, a roof which covers the structure, a panel of translucent material having reflecting qualities provided at the upper edge of each of the curved sides and partly overhanging the sign-faces on these sides, a sign being produced'on this panel by rendering parts of its outer side opaque and illuminating means seated on the upper part of the curved signfaces and in the space in front of them and back of the panels which space is closed at the ends of the panels by the edgewise extension of the ends of the structure so as to prevent lateral escape of light.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES W. SMITH.

Witnesses C. SPENGEL, T. LE BEAU.

Commissioner of Patents 

